


Motorcycles and Hot Chocolate Kisses

by QueenOfPlotTwists



Series: Yu-Gi-Oh June 2020 Prompts [5]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ex-boyfriends suck, M/M, Mana is dangerously cute so beware, Marik Ishtar/Mutou Yuugi - Freeform, Marik is a sexy mechanic, Marik is a shameless flirt, Motorcycles, Mutou Yuugi Needs a Hug, Never drive in a thunderstorm, Slice of Life story, Small Towns, Small town inn, Thunderstorms are scary, Yu-Gi-Oh June Prompts 2020, Yuugi blushes really easily, Yuugi is not weak or innocent, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:42:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24563302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenOfPlotTwists/pseuds/QueenOfPlotTwists
Summary: Yugi thought his luck couldn’t get any worse when he slid off the road and damaged his motorcyle in the middle of nowhere with no cell phone reception. Then it started to rain or rather thunderstorm. Maybe the ridiculously handsome mocha-skinned mechanic can change his mind.
Relationships: Marik Ishtar/Mutou Yuugi
Series: Yu-Gi-Oh June 2020 Prompts [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1770298
Kudos: 9





	Motorcycles and Hot Chocolate Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wasnt going to do one for "Luck" because none of the ideas i came up with worked but this one came to me during a walk and I decided to run with it :) 
> 
> Took two days but i love how it came out :)
> 
> Yu-Gi-Oh June Prompts 2020
> 
> Week one: Fire/Day 5: Luck

Thunder roared and crashed. Lightning streaked overhead. Rain like bullets hammered his skin creating a thick curtain of darkness that made it impossible to see the asphalt road, let alone the dirt one he’d been driving on. The visor of his helmet, meant to protect him from wind, rain, debris and bugs was now little better than a blindfold and the handles of his bike became jerky as the wheels slid and skid across the wet, sinking mud. His headlights did little in the way of clarity with the shadows and rain. Even worse, the landscape unfolding around him was as unfamiliar and forlorn as the thick black clouds overhead making the night darker than usual. No one was on the road, so he couldn’t even follow a passing car until he found an inn or something.

Just his damn luck: alone on a desert road, in the middle of freaking nowhere, in the dark, in the middle of a freaking thunderstorm. That wasn’t the beginning of every single horror movie that’s ever been made? Then again, driving a motorcycle in the middle of a thunder storm wasn’t exactly safe either.

But Yugi was determined. And his Grandfather was waiting. Town couldn’t be far off, anyway!

Resolved he pressed his foot on the pedal and pressed the gas.

A sharp turn illuminated by the headlights suddenly took up the totality of Yugi’s vision. He clenched the break, reflectively, he twisted the handle bars into a sharp turn, but the mud was deep and the rain-slicked tires lost their grip. The bike rolled into a lopsided U-turn, wheels screeching and water splashing and barely managed to leap off the bike and roll into the ground before it slid and crashed onto its side.

After a minute to regain his bearings, reminding him that he was sitting in the mud in the middle of a thunder storm with his bike possibly a wreck.

“Fucking shit!” Yugi cursed and punched the ground, still cursing as he yanked off his motorcycle helmet and pulled out his cellphone from his leather coat pocket. “This can’t get any worse than—” True to form in every single occurrence where those words had been uttered, Yugi pressed the button to open his cell phone and was rewarded with a blank blue screen of failure and the mocking worlds _No Single._

Yugi screamed.

“Are you kidding me!” He yelled at his device, shot it a furious, chilling death glare as if he could intimidate it into working again. Maliciously, this time it didn’t even turn on.

“Shit!” Yugi screamed, shoving it back into his pocket and running his hands through his now unruly mop of wet hair scattering raindrops. The normally flame-shaped spikes as silky and black as midnight dipped in magenta, now flopped about in thick, heavy strands sticking to his neck and ears and face in the most uncomfortable way possible. Yugi shook his head but all he succeeded in was making his hair wetter, since the rain refused to stop. His jeans were soaked and caked with mud, his shirt was a lost cause and the leather coat he wore was doing nothing to shelter him from the rain.

Refusing to let this day win, he forced himself up, grabbed his helmet, and fished his motorcycle out of the bushes. It didn’t look damaged but it was impossible to tell in the dark.

Lighting crashed overhead followed by a loud, monstrous roar of thunder, reminding him of his predicament, and also illuminating an enormous sign advertising a welcome to the new town.

“Oh thank god!” Yugi whispered a silent prayer to the deities in thanks, seated himself on his bike and turned the keys. Nothing happened. The sound was not the smooth, baritone purr of a well working machine but the annoying guzzling sound of a stalled engine or worse. Yugi tried again. Still nothing. He slammed his head on the handle bars in frustration and a little bit of grief.

He switched the bike into neutral and started pushing it. Mud squelched beneath his feet, water splashed with every step, threatening to fill his shoes. Rain seeped between his jacket collar and down his neck. His helmet was a poor umbrella. More lighting illuminated the way but Yugi didn’t care, he kept pushing, kept marching through the rain. The worst part was this still wasn’t as bad and what he’d felt earlier that day. This whole day had just sucked! All he wanted to do was find a mechanic, get his bike fixed, check into a motel, get out of these wet clothes, crawl into a warm, dry bed and sleep for the rest of his life.

Streetlights came into view, then illuminated shop windows, and the lights of buildings all forming the shapes and shadows of a small town: Yugi almost wept with relief.

Now he just needed to find a mechanic and an inn and…

“Do no you need help?”

Yugi nearly jumped out of skin in fright. Then jumped again when lighting and thunder crashed together terrifying him even worse until he was a hyperventilating mess, and it took several deep breaths to steady himself.

“Sorry,” came a voice from behind him. Yugi whirled around and found he was being offered an umbrella. The man’s face and body was mostly covered by a dark purple rain coat that probably didn’t help in the dark night. His dark hair was tied back in a long pony tail and the hawk-like features of his left face were covered in tattoos reminiscent of hieroglyphics. If this were a horror movie, Yugi could easily see him being the person who offers assistance only to be in it with the murders in the end, but something about his kind eyes and smile, stripped away that thought. “I didn’t mean to scare you, I just didn’t expect to see anyone to be out in this storm.”

“Believe me it’s not by choice,” Yugi sighed, and shifted his helmet under his arm so he could take the umbrella. “Thanks. Is there a mechanic around? I kinda crashed my bike and I can’t get it to start.”

The man’s smile was reassuring. “As a matter of fact, there is.” He pointed a block down the road. “My younger brother is the town mechanic, actually. And you’re in luck, motorcycles are his specialty.”

“Really?” Yugi could’ve died from his sigh of relief. “Oh thank you so much!” He went to push his bike again but found his hands full.

“Let me help,” the man offered to push his bike.

“Thanks,” Yugi smiled. “My name’s Yugi by the way.”

“I am Rishad,” he man answered with a welcoming smile.

To Yugi’s surprise, the mechanic’s station didn’t look like a mechanic station. Yugi had been expecting a warn, old school garage with tons of cars parked out front, Tools scattered everywhere and machinery and cables hanging from the walls. To be fair there were all of that, but what surprised him was the garage itself appeared to be the three-car garage of a huge two-story colonial house with a redbrick exterior. From the outside, it almost looked charming. The sign above read Ishtar’s.

“Wow!” Yugi gasped, following Rishad through the opened garage door and out of the rain. “This is amazing.” It felt _fantastic_ to be out of the rain and under the garage roof. Parking his bike, and setting down his helmet he spotted an entrance through the adjacent clear glass door that looked just as warm and inviting as the house, if the repurposed dark wood counter, plus carpet and mismatched chairs and coffee table were any indication. It reminded Yugi of his grandfather’s house.

“My brother’s pride and joy,” Rishad joked. “That’s not an exaggeration by the way. I’m pretty sure he loved this place more than he loves us.”

“Us?” Yugi asked confused.

Rishad grinned. “Our sister runs the inn upstairs with my brother-in-law, speaking of which.” He fished a card out of his pocket. “If you need a place to stay, she _loves_ guest. And I cook a mean brunch special.”

“Wow, thanks.” Yugi took the card and bowed, gratefully. He spared a glance out at the dark night and the still down pouring rain. “I just might take you guys up on that.”

“I’ll let her know.” Rishad winked, then hollered. “Marik! You’ve got a customer.”

“I do?” Yugi whirled towards the voice, a rolling alto: rich and heavily accented. “Didn’t think anyone would be out in this storm.” The man it belonged to rolled himself out from under a car, wiped his greasy hands on a dirty towel and rubbed an oil splatter off his cheek with the back of his hand, then turned around with a wide, welcoming smile.

He was the most beautiful man Yugi had ever seen.

Tall, but not too much, he sported a long, lean figure, a sculpted chest beneath a blue t-shirt, tight corded muscles for arms and strong, calloused hands from a life time of fixing cars and the most delicious mocha brown skin Yugi had ever seen. Undoing the lose tie, he shook out a long mane of tawny hair, the color of butter biscuits, so long and lush you could lose a hand in. It fell wildly down to his shoulders and spiked out in all directions. The pale color made that delicious skin even darker and Yugi appreciated the contrast. His youthful face betrayed his true age, but sported sharp, chiseled cheek bones that made the curled lips of his smile all the more dazzling. But nowhere near as dazzling as those eyes: almond-shaped and brilliant, the pale purple color of lilacs (Yugi’s favorite flower) and holy shit was that kohl? Or were his eye lashes really that thick, and dark and full.

Yugi’s helmet slipped from his fingers. “Holy shit.”

The man, Marik blinked then smiled and Holy hell if that pleased, roughish smile didn’t turn Yugi on in all the right ways.

“Did I just say that out loud?” Yugi heard the words leave his mouth, in his own voice, but he could not comprehend the thought that allowed him to say them. Or the fact that he should be wishing for the ground to swallow him up upon realization that he’d said it. But all he had to do was stare at this mocha-skinned god and all seemed right with the world.

He laughed and holy hell what a beautiful sound it was.

“I think you’re cute too by the way?” Mark punctured his smile with a playful wink, absolutely _loving_ the strawberry pink blush that suddenly darkened this adorable stranger’s cheeks.

And adorable he was: even dripping wet and looking an utter mess nothing could hide that sweet baby-cheeked heart-shaped face, the curves just made for smiling. A cute little button nose made those enormous round eyes look even lovelier, and what eyes they were: dark and deep and so blue they looked violet. His wet hair, in dire need of a comb, was shadow dipped in red but his forelock was a crown of silken gold, soft and lovely, even wet and wild as it was. It made him wonder what it looked like when it was dry and allowed to bounce into its natural shape. Raking his eyes up and down, absorbing every detail of this luscious stranger, Marik saw he sported a lean, lanky figure with small muscles and soft curves, the wet clothes clinging to each and every curve left nothing to the imagination. Even the awkward way he carried himself, radiated shyness that was borderline cute, but there was a determination to his stance and strength behind those eyes that spoke of someone who’s experiences much in his seemingly short life. Marik whispered a silent prayer of thanks to the gods and promised he would not take for granted this blessing.

Something that felt like an umbrella swatted him on the top of the head, dispelling his musings. Marik whirled on his brother and growled, the weapon of his humiliation, held audaciously over his shoulder. “Be nice you,” Rishad scolded, reopening his umbrella, flashing his new quest a friendly smile. “Take care, Yugi.”

“Yugi?” Marik tested the name on his lips, loved the way it rolled so easily off his tongue.

“A cute name for a cute boy.” Marik flirted, casually leaning back against the car he’d been working on: a god in mocha-skin and grease-stained shirt. “How can I help you?”

Yugi almost _died_ at the sound of his name rolling off those delicious caramel lips. “Um…” he stuttered, unable to form a coherent thought. Why was he here again?

Mocha…rain…bike…oh!

“My bike!” Yugi started and grabbed his bike, grateful for the reprieve from the gorgeous vision in front of him, if only so he could think clearly, again. “I…kind of skidded in the mud, well, crashed, and I can’t get it to start.” He toed up the kickstand and gently pulled it forward. Even wet from rain and splattered with mud, nothing dulled the brilliant shade of purple and the lighted accents of the paint job.

Marik whistled in approval. “This is a nice ride.” He dropped to one knee, examined the fuel tank, riser, the shock absorber. His hands moved with a gracefulness much too smooth to be natural. It conjured up all kinds of images of what else he could do with those hands. Of what he could to _him_ with those hands.

“Looks like you’re clutch is cracked.”

“What?” Yugi blinked and shook his head to clear his thoughts.

Marik pointed to the gear and Yugi shot down next to him, eyes wide with horror as he breathed out “Shit.”

“It must’ve happened when you crashed. No worries, I got a spare. I can fix first thing tomorrow?”

“That would be…perfect,” Yugi nodded and rubbed the back of his head. “Um, oh!” He dug out Rishad’s card. “Well, since it seems I’ll be spending the night. Do you know where I can find,” he read the title “The Fortuneteller’s Inn?”

Marik smirked. “As a matter of fact I do.” He gestured a thumb over his shoulder to the door that led to what Yugi assumed was a lobby. Yugi’s eyes widened. Realization struck long before Marik connected the dots. “It’s right next store. As in literally right through that door.”

“So…you’re the mechanic who fixes cars, your sister runs the inn that’s attached too and your brother’s the cook?” He chuckled and grinned. “That’s a pretty nice set up.” Feeling bold, he added. “And totally not the start of every single horror movie known to man.”

Marik looked like he was choking on air for a minute, then he started laughing and the sound was so rich Yugi wanted to melt right through the floor. “You’re a horror movie fan?”

“Horror movies, books, tv shows, basically anything I can get my hands on.” Yugi bragged counting off on his fingers.

“And here I thought you were just a pretty face,” Marik teased right back and Yugi knew he was probably blushing again, but didn’t care. He ran a hand through his hair, scattering raindrops and swallowed a shriek when he realized he was standing in front of this mocha skinned Adonis dripping wet, hair a mess, covered in mud, and looking like a literal drowned rat.

If the mechanic noticed, he didn’t say and instead pushed the door open and with a courtly bow that would not look out of place on a distinguished gentleman. “After you my dear.”

“Why thank you,” Yugi said trying to sound suave but kicked himself afterwards. He slipped off his wet, muddy shoes when he got inside, determined not to ruin the nice carpet. The plushness of it was heaven against his tired feet.

‘You can set those down, right over there.” The man behind the counter pointed to the whisker basket by the foyer door.

“Thanks,” Yugi bowed, obeyed. “Sorry I’m getting your carpet all wet.”

“Not at all,” the Man brushed it aside and offered to take his coat. “I certainly doubt you planned to be out in the rain.” He was a very tall man with a curtain of bright blond hair that contrasted wonderfully with his tanned skin, striking blue eyes and sophisticated features. To Yugi’s surprise he wore nothing but purple, down to his boots. “Please make yourself comfortable. My name is Mahad by the way.”

“Yugi,” Yugi beamed brightly, accepting the offer and started looking around the room.

“Ishizu is gonna love you,” Marik beamed, banging down on the front desk bell. “Ishizu! Get down here you have a guest!” he hollered banging the bell over and over. “Oh! And Yugi, if you happen to see a little blond girl running around or hiding behind the couches, don’t freak out, it’s just Mana, my niece. Ishizu!”

“Is she hiding again?” Mahad smacked his forehead. “Ugh, where does she get all that energy.”

Yugi barely heard them, so entranced by the country charm and rich upholstery. The couches and chairs were charmingly mismatched, the shapes and ornamentations like something from an English history boo but the colorfully embroidered pillows and lamps gave it a more modern feel. The area rug also sported color geometric patterns, a country style quilt was thrown over one of the chairs. A rocking chair sat by the stone fire place where a collection of photos and trinkets from around the world decorated the mantle. The whole thing was a lovely combination of coziness and charm.

Marik watched him with an awe that might’ve been lovestruck until hammering footsteps bulldozed down the steps, alerting all that Ishizu had arrived. She was a slender, tall and willowy with a stunning face and a curtain of long dark hair, falling down to her waist, richly tanned skin and large eyes. Her brow was creased in frustration, her lisp a hard line and her dark blue eyes charged with determination that promised retribution as she charged downstairs and armful of blankets, towels and sheets. “Marik” she shrieked nearly plowed into her brother. “You better have a good excuse for—“

The mechanic jumped back and threw his hands up in mock defense. Mahad, every gallant rushed to his in-law’s rescue, mollifying. “We have a guest love.”

Ishizu blinked, looked around, but to Marik’s surprise his new friend wasn’t where he’d left him. They found him sitting on the floor by the bookshelf, flipping through a leatherbound tomb that dominated his lap, a twinkle in those stunning violet eyes that remind Marik of shooting stars. Good god, what would he give to Yugi look at him like that.

“Oh!” Isis shoved her load into Mahad’s arms, and she rushed over, to introduce herself. “You poor darling! You must be chilled to the bone!” Marik watched as his sister, wrap Yugi in a several towels for dying his hair, clothes and offered him a blanket with dizzying speed. All the while Yugi flushed under the motherly affection and insisted he was aright and just needed to check in, but Ishizu would have none of it, and ordered Mahad upstairs to fix a room and draw a hot bath, and barked at Rishad to make some tea.

“Really, its no trouble—” Yugi tried to protest. “Not at all, darling, my inn prides itself on its service. We’re happy to take care of you…Yugi wasn’t it?”

Yugi nodded. “Yugi Mouto.”

‘Mouto.” Marik and Ishizu said together and Yugi blinked.

“You’re old man Mouto’s grandson?” Marik chuckled putting the blankets Mahad had forced on him down on a chair, ignoring the death glare Ishizu sent him.

“You guys know my grandpa!” Yugi jumped, surprised. Then ran towards the window. It was still too dark to make anything out but he recognized some familiar shapes. “I can’t believe I made it! I thought I got lost! Is my Grandpa nearby? I have to call him!”

“He lives just outside of town,” Ishizu explained. “He’s famous around here. Such a wonderful man. He always offers to watch my daughter in the summer when things get busy.”

“I had no idea I was so close…”Yugi muttered to himself. “Ms. Ishizu could I borrow your phone? I think mine’s dead”

“I’ll let him know as soon as I can,” Ishizu smiled. “I’ll tell him you’re spending the night. Even if it wasn’t storming, you out you don’t wanna drive the roads at night. No streetlights. Thing is a damn death trap, pardon my language.”

“Wow, I actually was going the right way. Thank you very much.” Yugi sighed in relief.

“Our pleasure, I’m sure there’s a story there, but let’s get you upstairs first, you can shower, change and then come back down for dinner. And don’t even think about it.” He cut off the protest forming on his lips. “I insist.” She dashed through the doors hollered for someone Yugi didn’t know then snapped at Marik to get Yugi some fresh clothes before disappearing up the steps.

“Is she always like this?” Yugi asked.

“Long as I’ve known her,” Marik chuckled.

“Is she the ‘fortuneteller?”

Marik swallowed a snort at the joke. “Oh a nickle for every time…its an inside joke actually. She used to be obsessed with fortunetelling in high school. No joke, I think she still had her tarot cards around here somewhere.” He flashed a smirked that both charismatic and comforting. “I gotta lock up and then grab a quick shower but if you’re up for it, I’ll be down afterwards. Rishad makes a mean hot chocolate. Perfect for a night like this.”

“Sounds wonderful,” Yugi nodded, suddenly feeling hot. 

“Great, it’s a date.” Marik disappeared back into the garage before Yugi could protest, savoring the pretty pink color Yugi’s cheeks turned and the way those huge eyes dilated when he used the word “date.”

X X X

The room was just as cozy as the downstairs. The bed was a huge four poster with fresh sheets and a thick blue quilt. A chair and side table by the far window next to a book shelf offered a cozy reading nook and there was a night table, bureau and closet for his things. A full bathroom painted a soothing lake blue with pearlescent appliance looked warm and inviting. The giant clawed-foot bath tub all but beaconing Yugi to take a long, hot soak.

Mahad showed him how everything worked, offered to take his wet clothes to have them cleaned and told him to ask if there was anything he needed. Yugi thanked him, stripped off his wet things and quickly made full use of the giant soaker bath tub. After hours shivering in the cold and the rain, Yugi could’ve wept from the warmth of it. Instead, he relaxed, sighed and let himself float. The steamy water soothed away every ache his muscles had endured, unwound every stress knot that wound his shoulder, and evaporated every negative thought and feeling he’d enduring during that day—and honestly, the past few months—and carried him off into a perpetual state of bliss. He was just about to fall asleep when a knock on the door, told him his fresh clothes had arrived.

With a contented yawn, he reluctantly left his little oasis, dried his hair, dressed in a fresh pair of black pants, a bright blue shirt and a black vest and headed down stairs for the promised hot chocolate.

The inn’s living and dining spaces were just as charmingly antiquarian as the rest of the house. Chairs and couches were seated around coffee tables for conversation and tea. Corner nooks featured comfy chairs and a side table with ornate lamps for privacy. Large windows filled the room with natural light and offered lovely views of the storm and landscape outside.

There sitting by the large open window with the storm performing in the background, Marik Ishtar sat with a mug of steaming liquid in his hands looking like a god in Khaki pants and a lavender hoodie. Heaven help him, it should be illegal to look that hot that easily.

He caught Yugi staring and waved him over. Composing himself, or at least forcing himself to, Yugi slid in the opposite chair and found a steaming mug of hot chocolate waiting for him. “What’s this?”

Marik took a long, satisfied sip of his mug and Yugi had never been so jealous in all his life. What would he do to be that mug! “Rishad makes a mean hot chocolate. No idea what he does, but its literal heaven in a cup. Try it.”

Yugi did, the cremate warming his hands as he lifted it to his lips and took a long, slow sip. His eyes bulged. “Oh. My. God.” Yugi paused after the smooth, creamy richness went down his throat. “This. Is. The best hot chocolate I have ever had.” Where those tears coming into his eyes?

Marik smiled. “Told ya. Best thing in the world on a night like this.” His gaze wandered towards the storm beyond the window: the trees dancing in the wind, the pitter-pattering of the rain against the roof like thousands of tiny dancing feet, the relaxed roll of thunder, even the lightning had lost its menace when viewed beyond the glass. It was almost…romantic.

“Can I have some?” Yugi jumped and whirled around almost spitting out his drink. There was a tug on his vest and Yugi down and into the most adorable pair of big blue eyes set in a tanned full-cheeked baby face offset with a sweet smile that he ever seen. Oh God, Yugi was in love!

“Hi! I’m Mana. Can I have some hot chocolate!” the little girl waved and then proceeded to climb into his lap without being asked and reached for Yugi’s mug, but it was expertly swiped away.

‘Oh no you don’t, squirt,” Marik said sternly and Yugi sat there stunned. How the heck could he resist such cuteness? “I let you have anything sweet this time a night and your mom will kill me.” He met Yugi’s stunned face with a grin. “That’s not a figure of speech by the way. One sip of this stuff and she will be literally bouncing off the walls.” Marik grinned at the little girl who was not pouting in Yugi’s lap. “Say Hi to Yugi, Mana.”

Mana came alive in the moment, looked up at Yugi and waved. “Hi Yugi, I’m Mana. What’s your name?”

“Yugi,” Yugi obeyed, blinking and held out his hand to shake her tiny one.

“Nice to meet you, Yugi. Now we’re friends.” Mana declared, proudly. Yugi thought his heart was gonna burst.

“Don’t let that sweet face fool you,” Marik warned. “She is just like her mom,” Marik chuckled sipping more hot chocolate. “ _Super_ bossy.”

“I am efficient!” Came Ishizu’s voice from the adjacent kitchen and Marik almost chocked on his hot chocolate and Mana pulled the tablecloth over her head. Yugi couldn’t help it. He laughed and so did Mana, betraying her hiding place.

Marik snorted and glared at the woman who’d just emerged with a bundle of wet clothes in her arms. Mahad besides her.

“Damn that woman has ears like a hawk.” Marik groaned.

Mana tried to hide further under the table which was difficult since she was still in Yugi’s lap. Mahad solved the situation by plucking the little girl up with the ease of a man who had done this a thousand times before.

“There you are,” he said face stern. “Time for bed, little missy.”

“Can I stay up a little longer daddy please, please, please, please, please’ she folded her hands together and enlarged her eyes in that irresistible way little kids who knew the power of their own cuteness did.

But Mahad remained stubbornly immune. “No.”

Mana pouted as he pulled her into his arms. As he carried her upstairs, she waved over her his shoulder. “Bye Yugi, See you tomorrow!”

Yugi waved back, blushing. “She is the cutest little thing I have ever seen.”

“Don’t let it fool you,” Marik warned. “Beneath that sweet face is a real tyrant. Between her and my sister, I swear, Mahad has the patience of a saint.”

Ishizu shot him a warning glare that he ignored. It evaporated when she turned back to Yugi. “I just wanted to ask if you’d like me to wash your clothes for you.”

Yugi blinked, suddenly embarrassed. Fortunatly, Marik answered for him. “She’ll do it anyway, so just let her.”

“Sure, that would be great,” Yugi agreed with a gracious, red-faced nod. God, he looked so lovely when he was flustered, as if unused to all the attention.

“Wonderful!” Ishizu beamed “Now I’m sure you wanna rest after all that so I’ll make sure you get these back tomorrow.”

“Actually, Ms. Ishizu, if it’s alright, I’d like to stay here for a bit.” Oh god, why couldn’t he talk without blushing.

“Of course,” she smiled with an infectious kindness. “If you get hungry, Rishad is in the kitchen, or you can always make this one get off his lazy ass and help.” She shot Marik a smirk before heading off. Her brother responded by sticking out his tongue.

“Wow,” Yugi chuckled, truly amazed. “You have a great family.”

Marik shrugged but Yugi caught the smile forming at this lips before he took another sip. “I think I’ll keep them. What about yours? Or is it just your grandpa?”

“Oh, why?” Yugi droned suddenly feeling flirtatious. “You wanna meet them?”

“Just making conversation,” Marik said cupping his chin in his palm, his eyes half-lidded.

Yugi sighed. Maybe it would be nice to talk to someone about it. “Honestly, it’s probably just me and Grandpa. I mean, I have parents but there’s divorced and they travel a lot for business so I don’t really see them. And I’m an only child. And pathetically single. So just me.”

“I’m single too!” Marik chimed in. “Don’t apologize for your bachelorhood. Just means we’re wisely holding out for the right person.”

Yugi clenched the mug so tightly his knuckles turned white and his next word was a ghost absent his normal enthusiasm. “Yeah…what about you?”

Marik frowned, noticing the sudden change in Yugi’s tone, but he chose to ignore it.

For now.

“My mom died when I still a baby and my dad…well…let’s just say he wasn’t exactly father of the year.” The sharpness of the tone so unlike his normal upbeat one made it perfectly clear there was little love between them.

“So do you stay at the inn, too?” Yugi asks changing the subject and smiled when the brightness returned to Marik’s eyes. Yugi suddenly decided he _really_ liked that smile.

“There’s a separate apartment above the garage. I stay there. I love my siblings but I need my space.”

“That must be nice. You never have to drive in to work every day.”

“Nope,” Marik grinned, folding his hands behind his head. “Which means whenever I _do_ ride my bike it’s purely because I want to.”

“You have a motorcycle too?” Yugi perked up.

“Yup! Honda VT600-C Shadow VLX in cherry red.” He bragged, but underlined it with a romantic sigh that left no doubt of its importance in his life. “She is my one true love.”

“Shut up!” Yugi gasped, almost slamming down his mug in excitement. “How’d you score one of those?”

“Lots of searching, _lots_ of saving,” was Marik’s answer. “I think I worked every part time job I could get my hands on in high school until I could afford it and the insurance.” When his eyes met Yugi’s again, looked into that sweet face, wide, excited eyes and decided in that moment he would do anything to keep Yugi smiling like that. “But enough about me. How’d yours get that sweet paint job?”

His eyes focused on Yugi and Yugi felt his whole body heat up under the intensity of those eyes. Yugi _knew_ he was blushing, now. “Um… well, it’s kind of embarrassing.”

“Try me?” Marik encouraged, arching a curious brow.

“Well, when I was in high school I was obsessed with Duel Monsters. And I mean _obsessed_. And my favorite was the Dark Magician, so when I got my bike, I decided to paint it purple like the Dark Magician.”

Marik laughed but there was nothing derivative about it. “That is the coolest thing I’ve ever heard. And for the record, I loved duel monsters in high school, too.”

How the hell could someone this perfect really exist? “Nice,” Yugi swallowed his nervousness, earnestly excited. “Do you still play?”

“Sometimes. I’m trying to get Mana into it but she’s still pretty young. But I still play with Grandpa sometimes.”

“That sounds like Grandpa.” Yugi chuckled. “He’s the one who actually taught me how to play. Maye we could duel sometime?”

“Only if you’re not afraid of fiends and zombies?” Marik playfully warned.

“I’m more of a spellcaster guy, but I do like fiends,” Yugi bragged, feeling more confident as the conversation continued. “So did you guys grow up here?”

Marik’s smile faltered. “I wish we did, but no…I actually found this place by accident.”

“How so?”

He couldn’t resist the curiousty brightening those lovely eyes and shoved his drink, aside. “I’ve always been obsessed with Motorcycles. Ever since I was kid. I saw a picture of one in a magazine and I just…kept it. I always imagined myself driving one. That if I could own one, ride one, I could go anywhere I wanted, see any place I wanted to and nothing could ever hold be back. To me, it was pure freedom.” A small smile graced his lips as he recalled the memories with a sense of bittersweet nostalgia. “So, after my dad…croaked…” Yugi blinked so he made a circle with his hands to imitate a drinking glass. “I did just that. I hoped on my bike and I just drove and drove wherever I wanted to go and it was…” he had to stop to laugh. “It was exactly as I always imagined it would be like: pure freedom.”

“That sounds amazing,” Yugi smiled, recalling the first time he rode his own motorcycle. The rush. The freedom. The wind in his hair. The sensation of flying. _He’d_ hated his motorcycle and called it a death trap, but Yugi didn’t care. He would never trade that feeling for anything.

“Yeah,” Marik sighed, leaning back. The handsome curves of his smile falling into a neutral line. “It was amazing”

“But?”” Yugi filled in.

“No matter where I went or how many places I saw, something just felt…off… like it was missing and I had no idea what. One day I just drove and drove and drove until I finally broke down right outside of town, here. Town didn’t have a mechanic so I had to fix it myself. Took forever for the parts to come in, but your Grandpa took me in, Doc Hawkins helped me get situated, to make some extra cash I volunteered to fix some stuff around town and got really close to the people. By the time I got my bike fixed, I realized what I missing the whole time was a place to call home. So…I set up shop here and I never left.”

“Wow,” Yugi gasped, eyes wide.

Marik nodded. “After I got settled, I invited Ishizu and Rishad up for a weekend, Ishizu fell in love with the inn next store, Rishad’s always been a mean cook. Mahad, in a twist of fate, turned out to be the contactor who helped her remodel and, well, the rest is history.”

“That’s…’Yugi didn’t know how to describe it. “That sounds amazing.”

“What about you?” Marik asked, earnestly. “What brings you all the way out in this part of the country?”

Yugi still jumped. He squeezed his mug and looked away embarrassed.

“Hey,” Marik reached over and squeezed his wrist. “You don’t have to, I was just curious.”

“It’s not that…” Yugi corrected quickly, swallowed. Why was his throat so thick? “Can you…keep a secret? Something I haven’t even told Grandpa yet?”

Marik rearranged himself so his chin was in his palms so his focus was entirely on Yugi, but the innocent gesture did nothing to make the promise in his eyes. “I’m all ears and my lips are sealed.”

Yugi exhaled and set down his mug. He folded his hands in his lap, but his fingers spread wide with frustration. All the emotions he’d experienced the past few days, weeks, months suddenly crashed and sank into a pit in his stomach that made him want to vomit, but Marik’s encouraging eyes were so kind, so urging.

“I didn’t just come here to see my Grandpa…I…I’m sort of…running away.” Curiosity and concern sparked those lilac eyes but Marik said nothing. “I’m a game designer and…I guess like you I started doing it because…I love it. I’ve always loved games, obviously, you know my grandpa, but more than that I love creating worlds, telling stories, just imaging any possibility and then bringing them to life! It’s the most amazing thing in the world!”

Passion and excitement exhilarated him, brightening Yugi’s whole expression in a way that made Marik’s heart skip a beat. “I gotta introduce you to my friend, Ryou. He’s _obsessed_ with table top RPGs. You guys would be best friends!”

Yugi nodded as if he found the idea exciting. Then he frowned, sighed and continued “It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I even moved to Domino City because I wanted to create my own games and bring them to life. So I did. Got a job at KaibaCorp’s Game Design division.” He didn’t look happy as he said it.

“What happened?” Marik asked, softly.

“I told my… _ex_ -boyfriend I wanted to keep my copyright. That’s when it all went bad.” He sank all his bitterness into that word.

Marik flinched, then realized something. “Wait…why would your ex want your copyright?”

Yugi looked at his feet. “He owned it.”

If Marik had been drinking something, he would’ve spit it out. “Wait, _Seto Kaiba_ is you ex-boyfriend?”

Yugi nodded, not looking at him, as if ashamed. “We went to the same High School.”

“Holy hell,” Marik leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his forehead. “No wonder you’re running away. What happened?”

Yugi clenched his fists, growling. “Everything fucking happened. Seto’s always been a control freak but after that it just got so much _worse_. I always thought we could separate business from personal but apparently even our relationship was a fucking game to him and if he wasn’t winning he would make damn sure he was! So he just decided if I wouldn’t give him my copyright, he would just control everything else in my life: the art style, the release date, never mind _I_ was the one making it. And when that didn’t work it started leaching into our personal lives, too! You know ever since we got together, he tried to break up my friendship with my best friend because they hated each other in high school? No matter how hard he worked, and even after the guy got his life together, he always treated him like a second class citizen! I _hated_ that! I finally told him I was done with all the bullshit and if he didn’t shape up then both me and my game were gone, know what he did? To ‘teach me a lesson’?” he used air quotes sinking all his rage and anger and hurt and bitterness into his next rant. “He fucking _cheated_ on me! With my ex-girlfriend!”

“Shit!” Marik said automatically, wide-eyed. Then an unforgiveable rage filled his gut, furious that anyone would ever hurt this sweet man so callously. He was glad this Kaiba ass got his ass dumped.

Yugi slumped back in his chair, exhausted by his own outburst. His hands fisted his hair, his eyes were shiny as if on the verge of tears. It made Marik want to hold him, take him in his arms and protect him from the world.

“So that was it,” Yugi shrugged, sounding so defeated it broke Marik’s heart. “I packed up my stuff, moved in with my best friend Joey, took my game and I quit. That should’ve been it.”

“But it wasn’t…” Marik answered knowingly, squeezing his mug with repressed rage. He hadn’t even meant this Kaiba and all he wanted to do was break his nose.

“No, it wasn’t.” Yugi retorted though Marik could tell it wasn’t directed at him. “I’d already been looking at new jobs before… _it_ happened. My friend, Duke, helped me get an interview with Industrial Illusions…”

“Wait, Duke Devlin? Guy who created Dungeon Dice Monsters?” Marik gaped.

Yugi smiled and nodded.

“Damn, you do have friends in high places.”

Despite himself, Yugi laughed. The way his cheeks curled into a smile as he did so…Marik swore right then in there he would do anything to make sure Yugi kept smiling like that. “Not really. We all went to high school together. But, it helped. He promised to pitch my game to Industrial Illusions. I got an interview. Pegasus loved it. I didn’t tell anyone but somehow, no surprise, Kaiba found out and would _not_ shut up about it. He just kept calling me, demanding I come back, ranting that I ‘violated’ our contract, acting like I _owed_ him something…” His hands started shaking and this time there were very clear moisture drops dotting his eyelashes. “I couldn’t take it anymore….the phone calls, the text messages, the e-mails, the visits in the middle of the night…thank God for Joey, he disconnected our phone and told the landlord to call the cops if he showed up, but it still didn’t stop him. I swear if he could get ahold of Pegasus and bad mouth me, he would have! I finally just couldn’t take it anymore. I changed all my numbers, asked for a leave from work and hoped on my bike. I used to spend the summers out here with my grandpa when things got bad with my parents so, it seemed like a nice too place to move on. To try and be happy again.”

And there it was, everything he’d been holding onto, afraid to put out into the universe in fear it would all come crashing down and drag him under the surface. And yet, somehow sitting in this charming room in this country in surrounded by kind people, next to Marik, who listened so intently to he felt…lighter after saying it. Yugi rubbed his eyes and set his hands on the table.

God, he almost felt liberated.

Something warm and rough gently squeezed his hand. He opened his eyes and found it was Marik’s hand. When Yugi met his eyes again they were filled with something he’d never seen in Kaiba’s when they dated: admiration, trust, respect, dare he even say it, affection.

“For what it’s worth,” he began sinking all those emotions into his words. “I think you did the right thing. I’ll be honest, I haven’t dated much myself, but I see my sister and Mahad and sometimes they fight like cats and dogs, but five minutes later, their laughing. Relationships aren’t about control or picking and choosing or even about making the other person happy. They’re about…working together, I guess. You’re with that person because they make you a better person, they make you wanna _be_ a better person, and…” He paused, rubbed the back of his neck, nervously, and if Yugi’s didn’t know better, he’d swear that suddenly dark pink color in his cheeks meant he was blushing. “I haven’t known you long, Yugi, but I think you’re great and…you deserve someone who sees that. That’s all.”

Yugi didn’t know what to say, but he felt his heart beating faster than it had been a minute ago and suddenly, even if it was only for a minute, everything felt right with the world. Like everything would be okay.

“Thank you, Marik.” Yugi smiled and slowly stood up. “I think I’m ready to turn in.”

“I’ll walk you upstairs,” Marik offered. They walked in silence but there was nothing awkward or tense about, merely a comforting quiet. Yugi unlocked his room and just as he was about to wish his new friend good night, warm lips captured his in a short, sweet kiss. His lips were sweet from the chocolate and his mouth was warm. It was quick and chaste, but to Yugi it was the sweetest kiss he’d ever received.

“Just so you know…” Marik said with a stutter that betrayed his cool confidence. “I like you and not just cause you’re cute.”

Yugi smiled and responded by kissing him on the cheek and damn it if his blushing wasn’t the most glorious thing Yugi had ever seen. “Thanks.”

That night Yugi went to sleep, feeling more at peace than he had in months.

X X X

The next morning, Yugi found himself sitting at the kitchen bar in his freshly washed clothes, stuffed with so many chocolate chip pancakes he felt sick from them. Marik wasn’t kidding when he said Rishad could cook. Next to him, Mana was halfway through her third stack and Yugi gaped in absolute wonderment at where she’d put it all.

“Yugi?” Recognizing the gruff, aged voice, Yugi spun around and caught his Grandfather in a hug as he ran over to him with surprising limberness. “Oh thank goodness! I was worried sick about you driving a motorcycle of all things in that storm last night!”

“Sorry, I worried you, Grandpa.” Yugi offered him a reassuring smile. “Did Ms. Ishizu call you? I tried but my cell phone didn’t work.”

“Thank God, she did,” Grandpa ran a hand through his spiky gray bangs and pressed a worried hand to the ticker in his chest. “And don’t worry about it. Reception out here always goes bad in the rain.”

“Hi Mr. Grandpa!” Mana waved cutely with her fork.

The old man flashed her an affectionate smile. “Hello dear. Have you been keeping my grandson company?”

She nodded, sweetly. Yugi left them to chat just as Mana began a spirited story-telling about her dolls in splendid detail.

“Thank you all so much for everything last night.” He bowed to Ishizu, Mahad and Rishad in turn.

“Not at all!” Ishizu beamed.

“We were happy to help,” Rishd agreed and cast a glance at his niece. “Little warning,” Rishad whispered to him. “Grandpa is Mana’s favorite babysitter so if you plan to stay, expect her to demand all of your attention.”

Yugi laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind. Any idea when my bike will be ready?”

“Knowing Marik, it’s already done.” Mahad said over his shoulder. “He was up at the crack of dawn working on it. Which surprised me, since he didn’t have any other jobs today. He always sleeps in when that happens.”

Yugi’s eyes widened with each rabid beating of is heart.

“Grandpa, I’m gonna go check on my bike, okay?” He said hopping down, grabbing his jacket, and heading for the door adjacent to the garage.

The garage looked just as it did the night before, but somehow everything looked brighter in the morning light. Like the air itself was somehow clearer and a lingering heaviness had been blown away by the storm winds.

He found Marik wiping down his beloved motorcycle until the Dark Magician purple glittered in the sunlight.

“Wow!” Yugi gasped, alerting the other to his presence.

Marik turned around and flashed him his brightest smile. “Morning, sleepy head. She’s all set.” He stepped away to let Yugi examine his handy work. Yugi seated himself and turned the key. She roared to life with a perfect smoothness and Yugi suspected Marik had changed out the fuel and oil as well.

“Hmmm, listen to that baby purr.” Marik bragged, running his finger along the handlebars.

Yugi turned off the bike and set the kickstand. “You do good work.” He agreed with a smirk of his own.

“I saw Grampa’s car pull up. Are you heading out soon?” Marik asked, leaning back, though there was a pleading edge to his words.

“Not sure,” Yugi admitted. “When I left him, he was heavily engaged in conversation with your niece about her dolls.”

Marik burst out laughing. “Oh man! He’ll be here for hours.”

“I’m not complaining,” Yugi smiled, exhaled. “Called my best friend this morning. He’s gonna bring over the rest of my stuff sometime tomorrow. And I told my boss I’d be happy to work from home while I’m moving, but he insisted I at least take the week off.”

Marik perked up and did nothing to hide his excitement. “So, you’re staying? Here, in town I mean?”

“For now,” Yugi nodded and looked out past the garage: taking in main street bustling with people, the shops and cafes that the darkness had hidden the night before, the charmingly old school brick buildings. “Not sure if I’m going to stay or not but…” He chuckled then whirled back to the mechanic. “I think I just might.”

Marik smiled widened and he stripped off his apron. “You know, I’m free for the rest of the day and my niece will keep your grandpa busy for hours, so…if you want, I can show you around? We could go for a drive, maybe come back here for lunch, and if Grandpa is still busy, maybe I can show you my horror movie collection.

Yugi smiled and for the first time in months, he was truly excited. “It’s a date.”

**Author's Note:**

> For the record, i know nothing about motorcyles and had to look up what kind of bike Marik has, so forgive me if that's obvious.


End file.
